How to Etch Wine Glasses

Etched wine glass

Glass etching is a way of decorating glass with a roughened, frosted design. There are two ways to etch glass---by sandblasting the design onto the surface or by using a commercially available etching cream. Etching cream is less messy than sandblasting, and is the preferred way to add decorative touches onto small pieces of glassware, such as wine glasses and goblets. This guide will take you through the steps to etch a personalized design onto your wine glasses.

Things You'll Need

• Wine glasses Etching cream Paper towels Foam brush Latex gloves Transparent contact paper Pencil Craft blade or cutter Cutting board or mat Dish soap Window cleaner Sink Safety glasses

Instructions

1. Create the stencil. Sketch out the design you would like to etch onto the wineglass. Be sure the design is a good size for the wine glass. If it's too small, the etching's details will be muddy. If it's too large, it won't fit neatly onto the glass.

2. Cut out the stencil. Draw the design directly onto the sheet of contact paper. Cut out the design using the craft blade and cutter on a cutting board/mat. Be careful using a sharp blade. Set aside.

3. Wash a wine glass in warm water with a bit of dish soap. Wipe dry and then clean again with window cleaner. Wipe completely dry. The wine glass should be free of lint, dust, and any oil from your fingertips, which can cause the etching cream to etch unevenly.

4. Peel off the adhesive backing of your contact paper stencil and apply the stencil, sticky side down, to the wine glass. Ensure that you place the stencil precisely where you'd like the design to appear on the wine glass. Smooth down the stencil, pressing firmly. There should be no air bubbles or wrinkles.

5. Put on your latex gloves and safety glasses. Using the foam brush, apply a thick, even amount of etching cream onto the design area. The specific brand of etching cream you use may have a different amount of time needed for etching, but most require the cream to remain on the design for 15 minutes.

6. When the required time has passed, use a wad of paper towels to wipe off as much of the etching cream as you can. Place glass next to sink. Peel off your gloves. Dispose of the gloves and paper towels safely, away from children and pets.

7. Wash the glass with dish soap and warm water. Pieces of the stencil may peel away as you rinse---that's OK. Peel away the remainder of the stencil. You can use your craft knife to help peel away stubborn pieces of the stencil.

8. Wash wine glass one more time with dish soap and water, and dry thoroughly. Enjoy your personalized creation.

Tips & Warnings

• Personalized wine glasses make great (and inexpensive) gifts. Pick up some wine glasses at a thrift or resale shop to practice on.

• Etching cream contains caustic chemicals. Be safe when handling, keep away from children and pets, and make sure the room you are etching in is well-ventilated. Protect the surfaces in your work area. Etching cream will also etch ceramic or porcelain, and will mark stone and linoleum.